DUANE “STRETCH’ MULDER

Duane “Stretch” Mulder, age 92, of Luverne, Minnesota, died on Sunday, June 28, 2026 at the Sanford Luverne Medical Center.

Duane “Stretch” John Mulder was born on June 15, 1934 to Henry and Hermina (Meester) Mulder in Ellsworth, Minnesota. He grew up on several farms in the Ellsworth and Magnolia area and attended country school until attending Magnolia School, graduating in 1952. Duane knew he would be a farmer someday, and always had a keen interest in auctions and auctioneering. Duane farmed with his dad and planted the corn at age 14 and still managed to complete his high school education. He started in the cattle feeding business at age 16 on his father’s farm.

The cattle feeding business grew into a large-scale cattle feeding operation, and a business as a cattle buyer. Duane did replacement feeder cattle buying for his own feedlots. He also bought thousands of slaughter cattle in various livestock auctions, owning the cattle through the slaughter process and getting paid for the processed beef, and he owned several cattle trucks for transportation.

On March 3, 1955, Duane was united in marriage to Marlys Newton. To this union a daughter Lori was born. Duane and Marlys both worked for A.R. Wood Manufacturing in Luverne, and also began their farming operation together. Duane was drafted and inducted into the U.S. Army on February 5, 1957, and had to sell all of his livestock and farm equipment. Marlys moved back into town with her parents and continued to work. Duane completed his military training and was shipped overseas serving in Munich, Germany, honorably discharged as a Specialist 4th class.

Duane started up his farming operation once again, along with working as an electrician for Harold’s Electric. Marlys died on April 16, 1975. As Duane grieved her loss, one Sunday morning he met a widow and former grade school classmate named Joyce (Rust) Jepson and her teenage daughter Cindy at church. After a short conversation, they decided to go to Sioux Falls for a noon meal and take the girls to the zoo. It didn’t take long for a romance to blossom. They both knew they wanted a family for their girls. Duane and Joyce were married on October 17, 1975 and focused on raising their girls and taking care of the farming operation. They also began a life-long dream of establishing an auction business together.

Duane graduated from the Worldwide College of Auctioneering and later pursued his real estate and appraisal education and became a licensed Real Estate Broker in the states of Minnesota, Iowa, and South Dakota and as a Certified Agricultural Appraiser.

Cattle were an important part of his life. He at one time sold three feeder cattle auctions each week. He was chosen to be one of the 87 cattle auctioneers in the world by Livestock Auction Operators to be a contestant for the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship. He was chosen to participate five consecutive years. He declined after the sixth year, in order to concentrate on selling real estate at auction. Duane’s motto was “you go where the money is.” Along with his partners, Duane sold thousands of acres and homes at auction, along with hundreds of farm equipment auctions throughout his auction career. After 40 years in the cattle feeding business, Duane phased it out and concentrated on grain farming, auctioneering, real estate and appraisal business. He was always interested in helping others succeed. He started four auctioneers in the auction business, and a grandson in farming. He would continue to mentor them until they were successful.

Duane was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2023, which resulted in hand tremors. In his typical zeal of learning, he researched and learned all he could about the disease. He was able to remain at home these past two years with the help of his daughter Lori providing care for both him and his old black lab and best friend Ozzy. He had recently entered Mary Jane Good Samaritan Home in Luverne for some rehabilitation with hopes of going back home. God had a different home in mind. On Sunday, June 28, 2026, Duane died at the Sanford Luverne Medical Center at the age of 92 years, and 13 days. His family is thankful for his faith in the Lord and that he is now dancing, fishing, telling stories and most likely doing a little auctioneering in Heaven.

Duane joined the United Methodist Church of Luverne at age 20 and continued to support and attend the Church throughout his life. He kept a strong faith, and his church family was very important to him. He was an avid fisherman, hunter and trapper. He was a graduate of the Northwestern School of Taxidermy Correspondence Course at the age of 16. He had a collection of buffalo, deer, black bear shoulder mounts and many legally taken small animals and birds native to the area. He was a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, a member of the Minnesota Trappers Association, and past twoterm President of the Luverne Eagles Club. If a neighbor or friend needed help, he would be the first one there to lend a hand. His favorite saying was: “No Guts, No Glory!”

Duane is survived by his daughters, Cindy (Dale) Reverts, and Lori (Jim) Von Holtum; grandchildren, Micheal (Christine) Reverts, Amanda (Adam) Breheny, Matthew (Emily) Reverts, J.J. (Jacob) (Amy) Von Holtum, and Adam Von Holtum; and great grandchildren, Tanner Reverts, Olivia Reverts, Dominic Breheny, Bailey Breheny, Hannah Breheny, Rhyan Von Holtum, Dax Von Holtum, Tate Von Holtum, Rowdy Von Holtum and Jayce Cowell. He was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Marlys Mulder; second wife, Joyce Mulder; and brothers, Ron and Erv Mulder.

Visitation was on Wednesday, July 1, 2026 from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM at United Methodist Church in Luverne. Funeral Service was on Thursday, July 2, 2026 at 2:00 PM at the church. Burial was prior to the service on Thursday, July 2, 2026 at 10:00 AM at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne. Arrangements are under the care of Hartquist Funeral Home - Luverne Chapel. Please visit www.hartquistfuneral.com to view Duane’s life history and to sign an online registry.